Railroad spike



May 12, 1925. 1,537,302

J. HOJNOWSKI RAILROAD SPIKE Filed July 6. 1923 Patented May 12, 1925.

; UNITED STATES JAKOB HOJNOWSKI, or NEKOSOSA, Wisconsin.

RAILROAD SPlIKE.

Application filed July 6,

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, JAKoB I-IoJNowsKI, a citizen of Poland, residing at Nekoosa, n

the county of Wood and State of Wisconsin,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railroad Spikes, of which the following is a specification. y

This invention relates to a spike or bolt adapted for use more particularly in securing trackrails to, their ties or sleepers, although it may be used to advantage 111 other places where a secure fastening means is required. r

The invention has for an object the provision of an improved form of spike of this sort, formed in a novel manner to ensure.

against loosening.

For furthercomprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the follow ing description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

Fig. 1 of the drawings is a side view of part of a track rail having my improved spike applied thereto to secure it to the tie.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the rail with the spike applied thereto.

, Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view ofthe spik Fig. 4: is a like view but showing a nail passed through-the spike at a different rela-. tive position to the head.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary face view of the spike.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary side view thereof.

Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 7-'-7 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7 but showing the parts in position with the nail driven through the oblique hole in the splke.

My improved spike comprises a shank 10 of the usual rectangular cross section and having a laterally extended head 11 to engage over the base of the rail. 'A portlon of a track rail is indicated at 12, and of the tie to which the rail is secured by means of my improved spike, at 13. The spike is formed on two of the opposed sides with transverse grooves 15 spaced therealong, these grooves being of generally ratchet toothed formation whereby their forward I walls present backwardly facing shoulders 16 1923. Serial No. 649,855.

to grip the wood and hold the spike against withdrawal or loosening.

Extending obliquely through the spike with respect to its median line and from side to side thereof is a hole or aperture 18. which at one end is located relatively near the head 11 of the spike, and at the other end relatively far'from said head, thus permitting a nail to be inserted through this aperture and driven obliquely into the tie. As indicated in Fig. 1 of the drawing the spikes are driven into the tie at an angle oblique to the longitudinal projection of the rail, the spikes on opposite sides of the rail inclining oppositely to one another, the

spikes beinginclined in a manner to leave the end of the aperture 18 which is nearest the head 11 located on the upwardly turned side of the spike. After the spikes are driven into the tie in this position thenails 20 are inserted through the said apertures,

and driven also into the tie, thev nails assuming oblique angles complementary to their spikes, As indicated in Fig. 3 the aperture 18 for the'nail may extend in the same general direction transversely to the spike, as the head 11.

To increase the hold of the spike in the tie I may arrange so thatthe nail, when driven home, forces outward a corner'of the top tooth of the teeth 16 on the spike. To

thisend a slot or groove 25 is entered down- Ward into the spike from the root of this tooth. The opening 18 is located near one face of the spike and its lower end opens on the rear or upper wall of one of the grooves 15 about midway between opposite sides of the spike, while the corner of the said tooth above the slot25 intersects the line of this opening so that when the nail is inserted through this opening it will engage the said corner portion and force the latter outward into the wood of the tie. By this means the action of the nail is supplemented by this outturned element which bites into the wood.

The spike shown in, Fig. 4 differs only from that shown in Fig. 3 in the direction in which the head extends with reference to the oblique hole through the shank.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire toprotect by Letters Patent of the United States is as follows: Q

1. A railroad spike having a backwardly facing tongue formed thereon, said spike having a passage therethrou-ghin line with the tip of said tongue whereby the said tip may be forced outwardly, after insertion of the spike in a tie, "by a nail inserted through said passage.

2. A railroad spike having a backwardly facing tongue formed thereon, said spike having a passage therethrough in line With the tip 01: said tonguewhereby the said tip may be forced outwardly, after insertion of the spike in a tie, by a nail inserted through said passage, said passage extending obliquely through the spike with one end thereof adjacent the upper end of the spike.

3. A railroad spike comprising a shank and head, 'said shank having a ratchet groove forn'ied'therein to present a backwardly facing shoulder and having a slot entered downward therein to form the base passage.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature.

JAKOB- HOJNOWSKI. 

